


Vacation

by AfterGlow13



Category: Dark Matter (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Humour, POV Multiple, Slight Hurt/Comfort, nothing goes right for these guys, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 02:23:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5188535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AfterGlow13/pseuds/AfterGlow13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remember at the end of Episode Nine, when Six says they are going to go to a planet with oceans and waterfalls and have a nice relaxing time? Yeah, this is an AU where that happens.<br/>______</p>
<p>“Everyone else is busy,” Five said.</p>
<p>“Everyone?” Three asked disbelievingly. </p>
<p>“Two and the Android are making improvements to the dampeners, Six has a headache and has already gone to bed, Four is busy practicing with his swords, and One isn't supposed to walk far because of his ankle,” she responded promptly. “So, that leaves you.”</p>
<p>“Me?” he said with something like horror, as if he was beginning to think that he couldn't get out of this. Then his attention sifted focus. “Wait, you asked Four before me?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vacation

“Hey,” Five chirped brightly as Five's door opened. “Are you busy?” The man looked somewhat blank, and she couldn't help but wonder if she'd woken him up. She glanced around him, maybe expecting rumpled bed sheets, but instead finding his many guns spread out among cleaning supplies. Honestly, she was starting to think that was the only thing he did. She glanced back at his face to find that he looked annoyed, his face settling with ease into its usual expression.

“What do you want?” He grumbled, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms across his chest.

She mimicked his posture, crossing her arms and tilting her head defiantly. “Answer my question first,” she said.

“Fine,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I'm not busy. Happy?” he asked mockingly.

She pretended not to notice. “Great!” she said brightly, “then you can go with me out to the planet.”

“Yeah, and why would I do a thing like that?” Three asked.

“Because Two said if we leave the ship we should do it in groups or pairs,” she answered reasonably. She was uncertain how to talk to Three; they hadn't spent much time together, at least until Sarah had been found. She was certain that he didn't want to talk about that time, so she was left guessing.

“Mmhmm, and why do you want to go with me, and not Two or someone?” he asked, clearly playing along for the moment. Five counted this as a win.

“Everyone else is busy,” she answered.

“Everyone?” he asked disbelievingly.

“Two and the Android are making improvements to the dampeners, Six has a headache and has already gone to bed, Four is busy practicing with his swords, and One isn't supposed to walk far because of his ankle,” she responded promptly. “So, that leaves you.”

“Me?” he said with something like horror, as if he was beginning to think that he couldn't get out of this. Then his attention sifted focus. “Wait, you asked Four before me?” Five smiled a little at the fact that he was offended at being picked last (and after Four) for something he didn't even want to do.

She shrugged at his question. She felt more comfortable around him since seeing him with Sarah, but the memory of being trapped in the airlock by him still terrified her. She didn't know if she could trust him or not, and for that reason he was her last choice.

“Right, great,” he grumbled, shifting his weight to lean against his door frame. “And why do you want to go to the planet?”

“I heard in the market today that the sunsets are amazing over the coast, and since I don't actually remember a sunset...,” she trailed off, seeing that the idea of a sunset had somewhat caught his interest (which she secretly thought was adorable), but not enough to convince him. “Plus, there is supposed to be performers at some festival tonight. Jugglers, magicians, belly-dancers....” She saw that last one bring obvious interest into his eyes, and hid her smile of triumph.

“Performers, you say? Well, I guess this babysitting thing won't be that bad....” She smiled and bounced on her toes, choosing to ignore the crack about babysitting. He grinned back a little bit, before rubbing at his hair and turning away, saying, “Just let me get my stuff....”

* * *

 

The planet was beautiful. It was green and habitable, with waterfalls cascading into crystal clear oceans which were lined with white sand beaches. It should have been a tourist trap, but the planet had only a few small ground-based space-ports, which were considered outdated, and had yet to get a _Transfer Transit_ outpost. The _Raza_ was the only vessel not from the star-system. Five and Three had spent the walk from the space-port, which was atop a cliff which over looked the ocean and the nearby city, to the beach in mostly awkward silence. Five had thought that she was going to regret this decision, but then they had got to the beach and bought this weird fizzy drink from a vendor that tasted like apples and turned her tongue purple. “What?” Three had demanded when she started laughing, and then he had noticed her mouth, and asked in a high-pitched voice, “Is my mouth purple?” She had nodded, still laughing, and he had snorted, muttering something about _kids_. But he had smiled while he said it, and he kept smiling. After that, the awkwardness eased, and... it was really nice.

They'd found a secluded spot on the beach to sip their drinks and soak up the sun. They'd spent a while joking about what was in the drink. Three may have thought of her as a kid, but he didn't think she needed to be sheltered from the life she lived. Even though he joked about babysitting, he clearly respected her enough to make her own decisions. As much as she appreciated Two and Six, sometimes they were a little too parental.

Their conversation slowly died away as the sun sank lower into the sky. By the time it dipped low enough to suddenly dye the world in different hues, they were completely silent. The sunset was beautiful, turning the ocean a deep red and reflecting off the glass of the city towers behind them. Then nine of the eleven moons had risen, lighting the planet almost as well as the sun. The silence that accompanied Five and Three into the city was more comfortable than the one that had accompanied them from the ship to the beach, lightened by the shared experience of something _good_ . The part of the city closet to the beach was the oldest, made of brick and stone, with arches and alleys and wide plazas. In one of these lights were strung, and a crowd gathered, creating a circle around the middle. Five and Three found a place to sit on a ledge that was on the edge of this clear space, and were soon applauding and cheering along with the rest of the crowd as a man juggled fire, a green-being led a two-hundred kilogram creature out of thin air, and a set of three girls danced. It was _amazing_ , and Five's only wish was that the rest of the crew could have been there.

When the performances ended, Three put his arm around her shoulder. Three was a handsy guy, and although this wasn't the first time he had done something so intimate, it was the first time she had been comfortable with it. That person who had put her in an airlock was someone else, someone neither of them ever needed to remember. This Three was... maybe not her friend, but at least someone she could trust not to leave her behind.

The shortest path back to the space-port was disused, and ran through places that were rocky and hard to navigate in the dark. She hadn't thought to bring a light, and the moons had set, leaving the world dark and unfamiliar. Three helped her up onto a rock, and then down it to land safely beside him. He was laughing. “What?” she asked, confused.

“I was just thinking of that one guy, with the funny hat and no shirt, who made animals out of balloons.” He chuckled to himself for a moment. “I think he liked you.”

Five tried to get a look at his face in the moonlight, to tell if he was being serious or not (not that she thought she could tell either way). All she could see was his white teeth shining in a wide grin. “...really?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Judging by his renewed chuckling she failed. 

“Oh, yeah. He kept looking over at you all through his act. And look at the size of the balloon cat he made you!” Five saw Three's hands as a pale blur as he gestured at the balloon creature she was holding to her chest. “I bet he thought you were cute.” 

Five felt herself blush, and tried to think of something witty, or confident, or sarcastic so he wouldn't know how affected she was by the idea of some _really hot_ guy with balloons, but couldn't.

She didn't have time to, anyway.

From someplace in the dark to her left came a shrill _sckreeeee!_ Five froze, heart suddenly in her throat, as a shape flew out of the darkness towards her. She gasped and flinched away as whatever it was – an animal, she realized – went for her throat. Three had faster reflexes, and was pulling a gun with one hand while he pushed her behind him with another. Five stumbled, and didn't see what happened next, but she heard the loud bang as Three shot at the creature, then it shrieked again, and Three cursed before all was silent. Her heartbeat was pounding loudly in her ears, but over it she could hear Three's heavy breathing and the gentle sound of the surf. She glanced around for whatever it was that attacked them, but saw nothing.

“Is it gone?” she asked quietly. 

“I hope so. I think I hit it, but I don't know if that will be enough to kill it. Lets get out of here before we get a chance to find out.” Three started walking, and Five followed after him as she glanced around nervously. 

“Are you okay, Kid?” Three asked after a few quiet minutes. 

“Yeah,” she said, voice breaking half way through. “How about you?” 

His voice was wry when he answered, “I'll live.”

* * *

 

Two was in her room when Five's voice came over the comm, “Two, something happened on the way back, could you meet us at the mess?” Two tensed when she first heard the tone in Five's voice; it was anxious and worried. A little scared. Five had let her know where they were going before they had left the ship. Three wasn't particularly dangerous, but she wasn't sure if she trusted him with Five. If he'd done something... or let something happen....

Three's voice cut in, “You'd better meet us in the infirmary.” His tone was clipped, guarded. He wasn't letting anything slip that he didn't want to. “Bring the robot.”

“Android,” she heard Five mutter sullenly.

“Alright. I will be there soon.”

They were already in the infirmary by the time she arrived with the Android. Three was sitting on the bed, rubbing at his thigh like he was uncomfortable with the situation, but looked mostly fine. Five was hovering beside him worriedly, holding a balloon animal. She looked fine. “Alright. What happened?” she asked, looking between the two of them. 

Five glanced at Three, than looked back at Two. Her eyes were wide and anxious, and made Two want to hug the girl. Two frowned. “It came out of nowhere, I swear. One minute we were walking back from the city, the next this flying... thing – creature – came flying out of the night and went straight for me. Three scared it away, and we're both okay, so I don't know why....” 

Three finally spoke up. “The thing bit me.”

The Android moved forward to to start examining Three, and the bite which was apparently on his thigh, while Five turned on him. “I thought you said you were fine.” Her tone was accusatory and hurt.

“Kid, I said I would live. Don't look at me like I lied to you. I'll be fine.” Three sounded a little guilty. Two suppressed a smile. He may act uncaring, but Two sometimes thought he had bonded with each crew member individually and as a group more than any of the others, except Five. It was sweet, really. 

“Actually, I believe you will die. Soon,” the Android announced. Five let out a shocked gasp, and stared around wildly at everyone in the room. Three did not show much reaction, but seemed to draw into himself, his eyes hard and far away. Two didn't let herself react in any way. There would be time for that later, if necessary. Until then she had to be the captain. 

“What did you find?” she asked the Android. 

“He was bitten by vipera volans, commonly know as tohil, an amniote vertebrate native to this planet. It has an extremely venomous bite, and if it is not treated with anti-venom in time all patients die.” She looked at Three. “I am sorry.” 

Two watched Three carefully, wondering if he would be able to keep his usual humour even in the face of his own death. He didn't quite lose the far-away look in his eyes, but he did smirk and say, “Not as sorry as I'll be if I die.” He snorted. “That would suck. Besides, you guys would be lost without me.” He looked at Two, then Five, and his smirk slipped a little, especially when he saw whatever expression was on Five's face. Two could not see the younger girl's face from where she stood, and she was glad of that. She hated seeing her upset. “So,” Three said, turning his attention back to the Android, “do we have any of this anti-venom?”

“No, but we should be able to obtain it on the planet,” the Android replied. “I would recommend doing so as soon as possible.” 

“Alright,” Two said. “I will call everyone else here, so that we are all appraised of the situation, and then a group of us will go to the planet.”

* * *

 

Six didn't feel too bad about Three getting bit, even when he heard he could die. He was an alright guy and all, and didn't deserve to die, but neither did most people. And, hey, he'd saved the kid. That was a good enough thing to die for in his book. 

If Four felt anything about the news, he didn't show it. One looked upset. Six wasn't sure if he should be surprised about this reaction. Whatever it was that was between the two of them was... weird. Usually one or both looked like they were going to kill the other, but they kept hanging around each other anyway. 

“Four, Six, be ready to leave in five minutes. We leave for the anti-venom then,” Two ordered. Her and Four left the room. Six stayed where he was; he'd took the time to put on his boots and jacket before leaving his room. He was learning that it was good to be prepared for anything. 

Six went and stood beside Five. He was worried about her. She'd been quiet the entire time Two delivered the news (with smart-ass comments from Three). The usual energy that was part of her, that seemed barely contained behind her bright eyes, was subdued. “Hey,” he said, “how are you?” He put his hand on her shoulder, and she leaned into it, smiling a little. He smiled back. 

“Fine,” she said. “Thank you.” 

They stayed like that. Meanwhile, One walked over to Three's side. He looked awkward, and not just because of the limp from the twisted ankle, but because of the way he was holding his entire body, like he didn't know what to do with himself. Six found his eyebrows pushing together as he wondered if they'd start fighting. Three probably shouldn't have a rise in blood pressure right now. 

One cleared his throat. “How do you feel?” he asked Three. 

“Not too bad, actually,” said Three in a self-satisfied manner. “Pins-and-needles, mostly.” 

“That is the first stage,” the Android piped up, from her task of moving about, collecting things Three might need. “Next comes severe pain, nausea, difficulty breathing, paralysis, and eventually death.” 

There was silence. The Android moved about, not noticing the tension her words had caused. 

“Gee, great. Hey, Six, don't take too long, yeah? As fun as this dying thing sounds, I think it'll get in the way of my busy reading schedule.” 

Six nodded. “Don't worry, man.” 

“I thought you said that 'the pig is a wimp and the spider is a know-it-all'?” One asked, and Six could hear that he was trying to be lighthearted, but his voice sounded a little too high, too strained.

Three snorted. “They are.” 

Six spoke before One could open his mouth to make a retort. “I better get going. I'll be back soon.” He squeezed Five's shoulder before letting go, then nodded at One and Three, and walked out the door. 

At least getting anti-venom should be fairly easy.

* * *

“None? I was told there would be anti-venom on the planet,” Two demanded of the doctor they had been directed to. Since leaving the Raza, they had been directed from one person to another. Four was a normally patient man, but in this time sensitive situation it was aggravating.

“It is not something we keep on hand,” the doctor explained. Doctor Surendra, he noticed, doing a quick scan of her form. She did not appear to be armed, but it was difficult to tell with loose fitting scrubs, like the ones she was wearing. It was unlikely, considering her profession. The addition of the security guard which had been accompanying them since they entered the hospital, made it even less likely. She wore a shock-stick on her belt, and Four was certain she was trained in some form of martial art from the way she carried herself. “It has to be used within seven to nine hours after creation. Attacks aren't that frequent, thankfully. This is the first reported case this year.”

“How long does it take to prepare?” Two asked. There was a small line between her eyebrows. She was worried. 

“That depends.” The doctor pushed a dark curl behind her ear. The security guard sifted on her feet, her mouth turned up at one side. Four watched them closely, and waited for whatever news they were going to give. He did not think he would like it. 

“They don't have payment,” said the guard.

“Payment?” asked Two, her expression growing even more guarded. Beside him, Six shifted, centering his weight. 

“It is customary for the live tohil to be exchanged for the anti-venom. Partially because that keeps them from being a further problem; mostly because fresh venom is needed to make the anti-venom.” The doctor looked at each of them in turn. “I am sorry. We can do nothing more for you until the tohil is in our hands.” 

“There are some locals who have hunted the creatures before, if you don't think you can handle it,” said the security guard. Her mouth was pulled up at one side again.

He bared his teeth in a returned grin. “I think we can handle it.”

* * *

Four stood still, his eyes scanning the still rocky area around him. This was where Three and Five were when they were attacked. The creature he sought was somewhere nearby; he was looking for any blood, since Three thought he hit it. Two and Six were walking back and forth, trying to cover each bit of ground as quickly as possible, hoping to scare the creature out of whatever hole it was hiding in. So far there was no sign of it. 

Four took several slow steps up the hill, following the same path as Three and Five. To his right, on a rock facing up hill, was a substance that reflected some of the light from the moons. He squatted, settling on his heels, and touched the edge of his littlest finger into the substance. It was too thick to be water, but seemed right for blood. He could see more of it ahead, moving closer to the cliff edge. He signaled the others, and they all followed the blood towards the sea. 

They continue finding blood every few feet. “Three must have hurt its wing, and it can't fly for very long,” Two hypothesized.

“I agree,” Four says. It makes the creature incredibly easy to track, especially because it continues to move in a straight line towards the cliff. “I also think I know where its den must be.” 

Six looks over at him questioningly, then looks in the direction they have been steadily heading. “Oh, great,” he says. “Why can't we have a relaxing vacation?” 

Two laughs. “What, Six, scared of a little cliff?” Four chuckles with her. 

“That doesn't look like a 'little cliff'.” The creature had continued straight to the cliff edge, just as Four thought it would. Three feels a little satisfaction at that. Six is also right; the drop to the rocky ocean-washed shore below isn't _little_. 

“Alright,” Two says, stepping carefully forward to look over the edge. “How are we going to do this?”

* * *

 

One doesn't know how long it has been since the others left, but he knows it has been _far_ too long. It's making him anxious. He feels useless, which is something he has become uncomfortably familiar with in the brief period of time he can remember. All he can do is sit, because of his stupid ankle, while the others are out there saving Three. Or something. It'd been hours; how long could it take to get anti-venom? 

He wishes he could fall asleep like Five. She'd drifted off, curled around a balloon cat in the chair she had pulled up beside the hospital bed, not too long after the Android suggested Three stop talking because he was having difficulty breathing. That was maybe a half hour ago. 

Three's breathing sounded painful. He was lying back against the bed, arms wrapped around himself, eyes closed, and his face scrunched-up in pain. One wasn't sure if he was asleep or not. One wouldn't wish a fate like this on the man, no matter his hatred for him. 

Though, if he was being honest, hatred was not the only feeling he felt for him. It was the first feeling he'd felt for the man; irrationally, he'd thought. Then he'd found things to explain it, which hadn't been hard: Three was an annoying asshole. When he'd found out the truth about his past, the hatred had made sense. It hadn't been hard to convince himself that Three was evil and deserved to die, that he had a right to kill him, that he would be doing the universe a favour. He was all set to shoot him in the back, when.... 

When what, exactly? He hesitated, took time to line-up his shot, whatever. Then he'd seen the enemy sneaking up behind Three, and panicked over the thought of watching him get shot and die. It hadn't been a decision to save his life – he just did it. It felt _right_ , even though he felt guilty for taking a life. 

Three had thanked him sincerely for it, too. He said that One was one-up, and he had agreed that it sounded right. Really, One had saved his life twice; once when he decided not to kill him and once when he'd killed the man about to kill Three. So he was actually two up.... No. No, it wasn't right to think that saving a man's life meant deciding not to kill them. That sounded like something an evil ruler would think. It didn't sound like the type of man he wanted to be.

There were times when Three wasn't that bad. That shared drink was one of them. Three had surprised One by acting like he cared for him, as if the tension between them was just annoyance. And there were other times, moments when One was fully in the present, not feeling emotions based off events he couldn't even remember, and he genuinely enjoyed Three's presence. They were usually fueled by fight induced adrenalin with thoughts that he _wouldn't want anyone else by his side_ , or barely awake moments of acceptance of a warm gunslinger's weight pressed against his side. 

There were a lot of moments, like this one, where he felt hatred and – affection? – in equal measure.

One sighed. Three twitched in response, and turned his head with a pissed-off look. “What?” His voice was hoarse. One frowned, wishing he could make Three feel better somehow. 

“I was just wondering where the others were.” 

Three glanced briefly at Five, who was still sleeping soundly. One noticed the fondness on his face, and looked away. It hurt, for some reason, to know that Three cared for any of them, and that he could - 

One glared at the ceiling. “That eager to get out of having to spend time with me?” His tone was light. 

One shrugged. He didn't want to banter with Three. He couldn't even look at him.

“Hey, Prettyboy,” Three said like he wanted One to look at him, but he still _couldn't_. He did, out of surprise, when he felt a hand land on his knee. Three stared hard at him, and nodded slowly, as if he understood something. “Look, I know we don't always get along, but it means a lot to me knowing you care. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have at my back in a firefight.”

“Not even Two?” 

“Nah, I'd rather watch her back,” Three smiled, and One snorted.

“You're awful,” One said lightly. He could feel a little smile pulling at his lips.

“Yeah, but that's why you like me,” Three said, a big cocky grin on his face. 

“No, I don't think so,” he refuted, but dropped his hand on top of Three's where it still lay on his knee.

“Oh, so it must be my dashing good looks.” 

“No, it really isn't.”

* * *

 

Three hurts all over when the others make it back, but he is still alive. “Well ain't you a sight for sore eyes,” he croaks out.

And they are. Two's hair is mused like she has just been in a fight, Six seems to be covered in sand, and Four has a scrape on his cheek. They all look a little worse than when they left, but Three can't remember being happier to see anyone. 

“You look like you were dumped into space,” Four deadpans. 

Three smiles. In the background, the Android is busy preparing the anti-venom for injection. Five has woken-up, and uncurled from the ball she'd been to watch her with eager eyes. One, the sissy, is looking a little less like the universe is ending and that it is all his fault. Honestly, he needed to lighten up sometimes. 

Six takes off his coat and shakes sand off it onto the floor. He hears One ask “What'd you do, stop for a nap on the beach?” but doesn't hear Six's answer as Two has come to stand beside him.

“Hey,” she says, voice quiet and intimate. “How you holding up?” 

“Better now,” he says. “How'd it go?” 

Her response is measured. “It took longer than expected. Apparently the creature that bit you is a bit of a local legend. I'll tell you about it later.” 

“You better,” he says, and then he yells in pain. Something stuck him in the leg! 

He looks and sees the damn robot standing there with a needle. “What the hell?” he growls, but it sounds more like a whine with the way the venom has affected him. 

“I have administered the anti-venom. The worst of your symptoms should fade within the next half-hour, and you should feel completely normal approximately forty-eight hours from now.” 

“How about a little warning next time?” 

“I thought it was best to inject the anti-venom while you were distracted.” She tilts her head to the side, innocently. _Yeah, right_. 

He hears One snickering and glances at the others. Five and Six are smiling, Two has the decency to try and hide her grin behind her hand, and Four looks decidedly amused. One is the only one outright laughing at him, so he glares at him and says, “Go ahead, laugh it up, Pretty Boy – just don't expect any sympathy from me when it happens to you!”

One stops laughing, but doesn't look at all sorry.

“Everyone get some sleep; he'll be fine,” Two orders, dropping a hand on his shoulder. She smiles at him before leaving.

Three feels content.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Still not entirely happy with this, but I have decided it is finished. I'm not entirely sure the pacing works, so if you have any comments on that or anything else please let me know.
> 
> I'm getting really excited for the next season, especially after seeing everything Joseph Mallozzi is releasing on his blog. Go check that out, in case you haven't already. I have an idea I am going to work on next, about what might (read: won't) happen after the season one finale. Assuming that takes me about the same amount of time that this one did, expect it in about three moths.
> 
> Also, I have a random head cannon where One is one of those people who twists his ankle all the time. So that is what happened to him, in case you were wondering.


End file.
